Motor vehicle antenna system



Dec. 6, 1938. Q FORBES 2,138,961

MOTOR VEHICLE ANTENNA SYSTEM Original Filed Nov. 22, 1934 INVENTOR. 5

' HENRY 63% ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNiTED STATES MOTOR VEHICLE ANTENNA SYSTEM Henry 0. Forbes, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to (lolonial Radio Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 22, 1934, Serial No. 754,213 Renewed May 6, 1938 9 Claims.

This invention relates to antenna systems for motor vehicles and more particularly to antenna systems for motor vehicles of the type in which it is impossible to install an overhead antenna, or in which overhead antennas are inefficient, or pick up excessive interference from the vehicle ignition system or other sources.

It is an object of this invention to provide a system of the class described which shall deliver to the radio receiver a signal voltage ample to operate the receiver, and in which the ratio of desired signal to interference, static and the like, is relatively high.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a system of the class described, the parts of which may be easily and conveniently packed in the same package with the radio receiver for shipment; which will not collect mud, stones, or ice in service; and which is unlikely to suffer permanent injury if struck by an obstruction.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a system of the class described which may be easily, readily and quickly installed; in which the antenna conductors may be quickly and readily snapped into position and removed; and in which the number of antenna conductors may be quickly changed as desired. I

Still other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the specification.

The features of novelty which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity. My invention itself, however, both as to its fundamental principles and as to its particular embodiments, will best be understood by reference to the specification and accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a vehicle with the running boards broken away to show the installation of my system;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the vehicle;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the support brackets used on one side of the vehicle, showing one antenna conductor in position;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a modified form of antenna conductor, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a modified form of bracket and insulator.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, l indicates the vehicle, having running boards 2 carried on hangers l8, and having front fenders l9 and rear fenders 20. I prefer to install my antenna system under the running boards on each side of the vehicle. For this purpose I prefer to provide support brackets 3 installed at the front and rear ends of each running board.

The support plates are preferably made about the width of the running board, and of such size as to support the antenna conductors about two inches below the running board. The support bracket may be varied in size and shape to fit various kinds of vehicles, but I find the shape shown satisfactory. The holes 3 receive bolts to secure the plate to the structural members of the vehicle in the position shown in Fig. 2.

The support bracket may have the inwardly extending flange 8 provided with a plurality of holes Ill distributed along the flange. It will be noted that in the form shown, separate dies are not necessary for the front and rear or right or left side brackets, the brackets being faced in opposite ways front and rear.

The antenna conductors l may be strung between the front and rear brackets by means of suitable hooks 'i' at the extremities of each conductor. Insulators 5 of any suitable type may be interposed between the conductors and the brackets as indicated, the conductor being passed at each end through a hole in the insulator, and the ends being secured by clinch clips H.

The hook l at one end may be attached directly to the insulator, as by being passed through a hole therein, while the hook at the other end of the conductor may and preferably will have a suitable spring 6 interposed between the hook and the insulator, to provide a spring tension to take up the slack in the conductor, and permit it to yield if an obstruction is struck, and then return to its normal position.

By this construction it is made possible to install each conductor quickly and easily, it being necessary only to snap the hooks into the corresponding holes in the front and rear brackets. While I have shown only three holes ill in the bracket, this is by way of example only, and more or less may be provided, to accommodate the desired number of antenna conductors.

Referring now to Fig. 4, I have shown a modified form of antenna conductor in which, instead of wire, conducting strips 22 are used. For this purpose, I may use copper or galvanized iron strips approximately one inch wide and 0.010 thick. These strips are supported in the same manner as already described for the wire antenna conductors.

Referring now to Fig. 5, I have shown another modification. In this instance the insulators are fixed in position upon the support brackets 3, as shown at 13, and the hook I to which spring l3 attached may be passed through a wire loop or ring passing through an opening in insulator it.

To insure good electrical contact, all of the antenna conductors under each running board are connected together as by conductors l5 and I6, and the two groups of conductors are connected together by cross connector M.

The signal voltage generated upon the antenna may be supplied to the receiver (not shown) by means of lead-in [1 connected to the antenna system at any suitable point.

I have found that the system produces very satisfactory results. The field strength of desired. signals under the running boards is sufficient for the purpose, and the field strength of interference from the ignition system of the vehicle is a minimum.

To protect the antenna system against a direct spray of water and debris from the wheels, flapper type screens may be hung ahead of and behind the antenna system, extending the width of the running boards; To avoid direct pick-up of tire static from the Wheels, these screens may comprise a grounded sheet of metal or wire screen.

They may be hung from any suitable point, and I have shown them as front screen I2 and rear screen 2|, hung from the lower part of the support bracket 3, but it will be understood that they may be hung from any other suitable place.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it Will be understood that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as will be clear to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. The combination with an automotive vehicle, of an antenna system mounted below the level of the frame, comprising support brackets extending transversely of the vehicle and spaced longitudinally thereof, and having hook receiving holes, and a plurality of flexible antenna conductors terminating in hooks engaging in said holes, and insulated from the vehicle, said brackets being so mounted that the conductors are disposed under said running boards.

2. The combination with an automotive vehicle, of an antenna system mounted below the level of the frame, comprising support brackets extending transversely of the vehicle at opposite ends of said running boards, said brackets having hook-receiving holes transversely spaced, and a plurality of flexible antenna conductors terminating in hooks engaging in said holes, said conductors extending longitudinally under the running boards and being transversely spaced, and insulated from the vehicle.

3. The combination with an automotive vehicle, of an antenna system mounted under the frame comprising support brackets extending transversely of the vehicle at opposite ends of said running boards, said brackets having hookreceiving holes transversely spaced, a plurality of flexible antenna conductors terminating in hooks engaging in said holes, said conductors extending longitudinally under the running boards and being transversely spaced and insulated from the vehicle, and said conductors being provided with take-up means for maintaining them under tension.

4. The combination with an automotive vehicle, of an antenna system mounted under the frame comprising support brackets extending transversely of the vehicle at opposite ends of said running boards, said brackets having hookreceiving holes transversely spaced, and a plurality of flexible antenna conductors terminating in hooks engaging in said holes, said conductors extending longitudinally under the running boards and being transversely spaced, and

all connected together and insulated from the vehicle, and each comprising take-up members for maintaining them under tension.

5. The combination with an automotive vehicle, of an antenna system mounted under the frame comprising support brackets extending under each of the running boards at opposite ends thereof and having a plurality of antennareceiving openings at points spaced downwardly from the running boards, and a plurality of flexible antenna conductors terminating in hooks engaging in said openings, said conductors extending longitudinally under the running boards and being spaced vertically from said running boards and transversely spaced from each other, and insulated from the vehicle, and each comprising take-up means for maintaining them under tension, and all of said conductors being connected together.

6. The combination with an automotive vehicle, of a signal pick-up system for radio receiving apparatus and comprising pairs of mounting brackets carried by the vehicle and extending transversely thereof, a plurality of antenna conductors, means for mounting the conductors upon the brackets so that they can be quickly attached thereto and detached therefrom, the conductors being mounted so that there is a portion beneath each of the running boards, means for insulating the conductors from the vehicle, means for holding each of said conductors taut, the conductors under each running board being connected together and each set of conductors being connected together, and a leadin wire connected to said signal pick-up system.

7. The combination with an automotive vehicle having running boards, of a signal pick-up system for radio receiving apparatus and comprising a pair of mounting brackets carried by the vehicle, a plurality of conductors, means for mounting the conductors upon the brackets so that they extend beneath at least one of the running boards, means for insulating the conductors from the vehicle, said conductors being connected together, a lead-in wire connected to said signal pick-up system, and a flap type screen hung adjacent each end of said conductors.

8. The combination with an automotive vehicle having running boards, of a signal pick-up system for radio receiving apparatus and comprising a pair of mounting brackets carried by the vehicle, a plurality of conductors, means for mounting the conductors upon the brackets so that they extend beneath at least one of the running boards, means for insulating the conductors from the vehicle, said conductors being connected together, a lead-in wire connected to said signal pick-up system, and a flap type screen hung adjacent each end of said conductors and comprising a grounded metallic sheet.

9. The combination with an automotive vehicle, of an antenna system mounted below the level of the frame of the vehicle, comprising support brackets extending transversely of the vehicle and spaced longitudinally thereof and having hook receiving holes, and a plurality of flexible antenna conductors insulated from the vehicle and terminating in hooks engaging in said holes, said brackets being so mounted that the conductors are disposed between the respective front and rear fenders of the vehicle.

' HENRY C. FORBES. 

